A Daughter of Witches: A Romance

by Joanna E. Wood

She turned at the fork in the road and looked back at the square house against its background of trees. Mabella was still at the gate with the yellow-headed baby.

“Well,” said Mrs. Simpson to herself, “them Lansings is certainly most tormented proud! Sich pretences! And would I stay to tea! My! I wonder Mabella Lansing can look a body in the face. Gracious! She must think we’re a set of dumbheads, if she thinks every soul in Dole can’t see how things is goin’ with Lanty. It’s the drinkin’ uncle coming out clear in him that’s sure.”

Mrs. Simpson arrived at her friend’s house in ample time for tea, and under the stimulus of excitement made an excellent repast.

Without criticism upon the Dole people it must be admitted that a scandal in their midst, such as this, had much the same exhilaration about it for them that a camp meeting had.

Mrs. Simpson and Mrs. Ranger talked over all the ins and outs of the Lansing family history. It was all equally well known to each, but after all, it is an absorbing and amusing thing to rake over well-hoed ground.

Public opinion had long since been pronounced upon the events which these two worthy women cited, not only that, but the grist of diverse opinions had been winnowed by the winds of time till only the grain of public decision was left.

So that when Mrs. Simpson expressed her opinion emphatically in regard to any point, she knew Mrs. Ranger would agree with her, and knowing every link in the chain of events, knew exactly what would be suggested to the other’s memory by her own remark.

But it is a great mistake to think these conversations devoid of mental stimulus. It required great adroitness to prevent the other person from seizing upon the most dramatic situations and making them hers.

Then, too, though this was an unholy thing, there was always the odd chance that an opinion, differing from that pigeon-holed in the Dole memory as correct, might be advanced. In this case it was one’s bounden duty to strive by analogy, illustration, and rhetoric, to bring the sinner back to the fold of the majority.